This year’s Pokémon Go Fest centered around not just Pokémon known for their musical talents, but also the many Legendary Pokémon that have graced the series in its 25-year history. One of these Legendary Pokémon was Reshiram, which was available during the Lava Hour of day two.
Reshiram, first released in Pokémon Black and White, is a Fire and Dragon-type Pokémon that lives in the Unova region’s myths, as well as acts as a central force in these games and their sequels. The Vast White Pokémon has been available in Pokémon Go for some time now but became much more accessible during Pokémon Go Fest 2021.
This Pokémon has been a constant force in the Go Battle League, since its two typings offer some of the most useful coverage against other powerful Pokémon often used in the competitive PvP mode. It has access to some of the most powerful charge attacks in the game, though many of them are slow and set Reshiram back with debuffs, leaving it wide open to retaliation from Rock, Ground, and Dragon-type Pokémon.
Reshiram’s quick attack slot can be optimized depending on the other Pokémon on the players’ teams, though Fire Fang is the most efficient option. While Dragon Breath comes out quicker, Fire Fang takes advantage of Reshiram’s spot as one of the premier Fire-type Pokémon in the Ultra and Master Leagues to easily chip down opponents. Should Dragon-type Pokémon be an issue, however, Dragon Breath also works handily on this powerful Legendary Pokémon.
Overheat is the optimal option for Reshiram’s charge attack. Although it does come with the drawback of lowering Reshiram’s attack by two stages, it should not be used to bait out shields in the same way that a quick-charging move like Crunch can. When not protected by shields, however, Pokémon like Kyogre and Palkia that normally take little damage from Fire-type attacks will find themselves on the receiving end of substantial damage. But when Reshiram uses one Overheat, its next attacks will be less powerful, so be sure to time it correctly.
Reshiram was available as a part of Pokémon Go Fest 2021’s day two, which featured Legendary Pokémon brought into Raids via the Mythical Pokémon, Hoopa. It is unknown when the Vast White Pokémon or the other members of its trio, Zekrom and Kyurem, will be returning to Raids. However, Reshiram has consistently out-performed many Pokémon in the Go Battle League and will likely continue doing so into the future.
